A Different Kind of Dentist

Dr. Bob Pediatric Dentist

The board-certified pediatric dentist and father of two-year-old Sebastian has tailored his practice to meet the needs of families with young children. “Everything is kept light, entertaining, warm and relaxed,” says Dr. Bob of his South Miami office. “My staff truly goes above and beyond.” For Dr. Bob and his team that means easing the transition into dental care via TVs and iPads in the waiting area and a caring and well-trained staff who take the time to explain each step of the exam or procedure to their patients.

As a father himself, the doctor also knows that dental issues don’t always happen on schedule. “I’m available 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he says of his boutique practice. “I have an answering service trained to immediately patch calls through. You have a direct line to me.” That direct line also extends to patient appointments, during which he prides himself on taking his time with each patient and their parents, adhering to his office motto: The Exceptional Care Your Child Deserves.

Also of importance to the staff is setting up their patients for a long lifetime of good dental health. Dr. Bob and his team place a strong focus on prevention, working with both parents and patients to create good dental habits that will last a lifetime, whether that means avoiding sugary juices or teaching younger patients how to floss correctly. “I don’t want to see kids have excessive cavities, I stress prevention” says the doctor. “I want them to know what to expect.”

Dr. Bob himself knows the importance of starting early; the doctor found his calling within dentistry in his early teens and ran with it. “I had an opportunity through my high school’s Executive Internship program to explore careers I might want to study in college and I found an amazing mentor who opened his practice to me,” he says. Staying “dedicated and focused,” he then went on to study at Florida State University followed by dental school at the University of Kentucky, before returning to Florida for a residency at Miami Children’s Hospital where he stayed on as an attending doctor and instructor before moving into full-time private practice four years ago.

Today, he pays back his own experience as a teenager by inviting aspiring dental students to shadow him at work and puts his teaching experience to good use, giving presentations to both parents and children at various local schools and organizations. “Education is the number one thing in my book,” he says. “It’s setting the right expectations, as well the rapport that you set up with the child so that they get to know their dentist and feel comfortable.”

Dr. Bob’s Top Tips

Need a quick course in dental health? Try these tips…

Toss the juice. “Avoid it at all costs,” says the doctor, citing the amount of sugar. “Organic, watered-down, even the ones that say they’re without sugar…it’s still sugar.”

Add some fluoride. “Most parents don’t know that the guidelines have changed,” says Dr. Bob, advising parents to start using fluoride toothpaste as soon as a tooth appears.

Watch your measurements. Aim for a squeeze of toothpaste the size of a grain of rice for kids under three says Dr. Bob, and try to establish a nighttime brushing routine. “And definitely avoid giving a bottle after brushing,” he says. “Brushing should be the last thing they do before bed.”

The office for Dr. Bob Pediatric Dentist is located at 7711 SW 62nd Ave. Suite 101 in South Miami, FL. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please call 305-397-8214. You can also visit drbobsouthmiami.com.